Le Royal Meridien Shanghai Makes its Debut.

Reaches New Heights as Tallest Building in Shanghai Puxi

New Urban Icon of Modern Design and European Spirit

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Le Royal Meridien Shanghai opened its doors this week in the pulse point of Shanghai, the world's most electric and vibrant city. The opening of Le Royal Meridien Shanghai further signals the brand's aggressive growth plan since it was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005.

"As we aggressively expand the global footprint of Le Meridien, we remain focused on destinations that are forward-looking and embrace culture and creativity. Our guest is progressive and deeply engaged in art, fashion, film, food and design. With Shanghai's contemporary and emerging art scene, trend-setting nature and position as an international business epicenter, it is an idyllic location for a Le Meridien," stated Eva Zeigler, senior vice president of Le Meridien brand.

Located between historic Nanjing Road East and the greenery of People's Square, is Le Royal Meridien, a new urban icon of ultra modern design. Rising 66 stories the hotel is located within close proximity to the Museum of Contemporary Art and will be the tallest building in Shanghai Puxi. Designed by Bilkey Llinas & Associates, the building adheres to strict Feng Shui design principles. The two antennas on the top of the building aimed at the sky not only provide a distinct design character, they also represent greatness. The sharp edges of the building symbolize a "Bagua," the Chinese mirror placed in front of residences designed to ward off evil and ensure prosperity and happiness.

"Just as the multi-dimensional city of Shanghai is changing the way the world does business in Asia, Le Royal Meridien Shanghai will redefine the typical hotel experience by providing a new perspective for our guests," said Akram Touma, hotel general manager. "The experience we will deliver will appeal to the open-minded, progressive and curious individual."

The 770 guestrooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows provide dramatic views of the Huangpu River, People's Park and the ever-changing Shanghai skyline with its storied skyscrapers, miles of neon and 19 million inhabitants. Each guest room includes individually controlled air conditioning, a 42'' plasma screen with satellite TV programs and a DVD, VCD and CD player, international direct dual lines telephone, wireless & Broadband internet access, glass bathroom with a rain shower system and a central floating wash basin, and separate sofa seating. Suites measure from 517 square feet to 4058 square feet and consist of a living room with working area and sofa, one or two bedrooms and a spacious bathroom.

The hotel is designed to handle a variety of events, from small board meetings to executive conferences, galas and weddings. It has more than 21,500 square feet of conference space, including a state-of-the-art business center, two grand ballrooms with natural light, five meeting rooms and one VIP room. Stylish and fully equipped with built in technology, the conference facilities include a simultaneous translation system, state of the art audio and video equipment, sound system, LCD projector and screen, professional lighting equipment, high-speed internet access and computer rental.

Eight private luxury treatment suites at "Le Spa" offer a welcome counterpoint to the frenetic energy of Shanghai. "Le Spa" experience is an eclectic fusion of Asian culture, Chinese wellness and European treatments designed to restore and revitalize the soul and live life to the fullest.

Le Royal Meridien Shanghai features 10 restaurants and bars offering a variety of cuisines from around the globe. "Le Bistro", an all day dining restaurant offers a mix of international cuisine, Asian and Western dishes developed and presented with a creative eye. Authentic Cantonese cuisine with Shanghainese and Sichuanese signature dishes is available at "Ai Mei" Chinese Restaurant. French cuisine with flavors and ingredients of the Mediterranean is offered at "Allure" French Restaurant while "Favola Ristorante, Pizzeria and Wine Bar" presents dishes with an Italian flair. Cocktails, coffee and tea and small dishes are available throughout the day at "Le Salon" Lobby Lounge and fresh juices at "Chill Juice Bar". The ultimate experience is arriving at "789" Nanjing Lu Semi-Private Club located on the top three levels of the hotel. "789" offers stunning views of the city while indulging visitors with a seafood ice bar, cigar room and private lounge.

For more information or reservations, please call the hotel at (86 21) 3318 9999, or email at [e-mail], or visit www.lemeridien.com/royalshanghai.

With more than 120 properties in 52 countries, Le Meridien is appreciated by international travellers for its style, originality and passion for art, architecture, food, fashion, music and film. Originating in Europe, Le Meridien epitomizes European service culture, with a commitment to offering guests a truly authentic experience, integrating local culture and appealing to the creative guest. Almost 70 percent of Le Meridien properties are located in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East with an aggressive growth plan in North American and Asia-Pacific currently underway. For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com.

Shanghai Shimao Group is one of Asia Pacific's leading real estate developers. Shimao currently has five main projects under development in China and is primarily focused on the high-end residential and retail market sectors. Le Royal Meridien Shanghai is Shanghai Shimao Group's first major luxury hotel project.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood[R] Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis[R], The Luxury Collection[R], Sheraton[R], Westin[R], Four Points[R] by Sheraton, W[R], Le Meridien[R] and the recently announced Aloft(SM). Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)